The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-06-25
The GOOD OLD DAYS.
Proofs That They Were Not what They
Are SAID to Have Been.

Proofs That They Were Not what They
Are SAID to Have Been.
Men ninety years old remember
when there were no steamboats,, but
all travel on the water was done by
the slow uncertain means of sailing
vessels, when if one started for New
York it was doubtful If he would
reach there in day or week. Now
we know how many hours and minutes
it requires to make the trip.
Men now sixty years old remember
when there were no railroads, but all
travel on land was done by stages, by
wagons, by OK teams, on horseback
and on foot Now a network of rail
roads covers the whole country, and
several lines run from the Atlantic to
the Pacific Ocean. Now it requires
only six or seven days to cross the con-
tinent. Formerly that trip required
three months.
Men fifty years old remember when
there were no photographs, but only
paintings and drawings, made at great
prices, of objects now done better in
an instant at trifing cost.
Men of that age also remember when
no steamboat crossed the ocean, and it
was believed that they never could,
but now hundreds of steamships are
blowing every ocean, reducing the
time of crossing the Atlantic from
weeks to days.
Men forty-fve years old remember
when there was no electric-plating, but
every thing in that line was done in
the old-fashioned, slow way.
Men of that age also remember when
there were no telegraphs, but all mes
sages had to be sent by the slow-going
mails.
Men twenty-five years old remember
when there were no telephones, but all
the messages now spoken through
them had to be sent by note or special
messenger.
All these grand and useful invention:
have been made within Tie memory OF
men now living. The younger gene.
ration can never appreciate them II;
those do who remember the want Of
them and therefore the great convene
ence they are to the world.
We often hear of "the good old day,
of yore." Why deprive our children
of the enjoyment of those old days.
Why not pass law forbidding steam
boats from blowing the waters, rail
roads from running on land, telegraph,
from sending messages, telephones
from being used, all furnaces, steam
heaters, etc, to be taken out of thu
houses and other buildings, all CRATE
for burning coal to be taken out, al
stoves to be melted for old iron, al
water-works in cities to be left empty
the use OF all gas and other illumina
tors, except dipped tallow candles, t
be discontinued, and really to 90 bacl
to the "good old times" say for tiv,
years. Then, if at midnight on u cold
stormy night doctor is wanted, h,
must be sent for instead of telephonin!
for him. If one wishes to send a mes
sage to distance, instead of telegraph
ing he must write q letter and send i
by stages to distant place and wal
patiently for days or weeks for tn
answer. tF
, When one goes home on a freezin.
+ night he can sit by a wood fire, roast
ing on one side while freezing on tn
other, and reading by the dim light o
Il tallow dip instead of the blaze Of
gaslight or the more agreeable light O
2 kerosene. If he undertakes Journey
: instead of getting into ears and goin
; where he wishes. the best thing he ca
1 do is to take a stage at four times tn
8 cost and ten times the discomfort G
r the cars. Let these and other moder
9 Improvements be forbidden and tn
| good old days be brought back, hoy
/ long would it be before an extra scs
, sion of the Legislature would be dc
: manded to knock the "good old days
4 into splinters, and to restore the niue
better modern days which we now en-
1 JOY, and for which we ought to be mo.
G devoutly thankful bridegroom Stano
+ ard.